When you purchase used cell phones from a third party, you avoid the need to sign up for a new contract with a cellular provider (typically 1 or 2 years). Instead, you can approach the provider with a phone that you buy on your own and have them activate it and completely bypass any conversations about a contract - allowing you to move to a different provider at a later date if you choose to without paying steep cancellation fees.

However, before having your triumphant day in the cell phone store, you need to do some research to make sure you end up with the right phone. If you know what provider you're planning to use, one key thing that you'll need to know before beginning to shop for a used phone is what kind of technology your service provider of choice uses.

CDMA technology (code division multiple access) has been the dominating technology for mobile networks for many years in North America and the majority of Asia. GSM technology (global system for mobile communications) is used by an estimated 85% of the global market; making it the obvious preferred choice for mobile makers when releasing a new handset.

It is not too hard to tell one type of phone from another. GSM phones use a SIM card and CDMA phones do not. If you buy a refurbished cell phone made for GSM networks, activating it is as simple as putting your SIM card (which you get from your provider) into the new (used) phone. The phone will then be able to connect to the network that the SIM card is associated with. This is particularly advantageous for people that do a lot of international travel as you can avoid expensive roaming fees by getting a prepaid SIM card for the international network you plan to operate on.

CDMA phones are not as easy to activate and will most certainly require either a trip to the local carrier store or a phone call to customer service. However, that is not to say that it is a complicated process, in fact it is quite simple and will be worth your time.

The decision to purchase either a refurbished CDMA or GSM cell phone is entirely up to you and your preferences. You can base your decision either on the fact that you already have an existing line with one of the carriers, or based your decision upon the features and various plans available to you by the carriers.

When it comes to getting the best service, both technologies offer similar levels of coverage area, call quality, and data transfer speeds. Of course, the amount of coverage you get will be dependent on your provider, not necessarily the phone that you choose. If you do a lot of traveling, make sure that you ask your provider about roaming fees, as the additional charges vary based on provider and plan.

However, if you're looking for a new provider, my advice is to consider what you need to use the phone for (texting, internet, email, apps, etc) and find the carrier with the best plan that fits your budget. In the end, there will not be any huge gaps in call quality or network performance between the various technologies, however it can be beneficial to look at coverage areas, especially if you live in a rural area or do a lot of traveling.

Another item to consider when deciding between selecting a used cell phone on a CDMA or a GSM network is if all of the features the used phone offers will be able to activated on the network you are researching. Some mobile providers charge extra for certain features or simply don't offer them.

And, remember to only buy used cell phones from reputable dealers (like those that offer a warranty) and/or trusted sources.